There are ways to obtain permanent residency in Australia. And they do not necessarily require a specific job offer. If you have the necessary qualification and experience in one of the occupations which are of high demand in Australia, you may be eligible for a skilled visa. The advantage of these employer-independent visa subclasses is that they give you greater flexibility in terms of employment. If you have been granted such a skilled visa you are not bound to work in this occupation but are completely free in your choice of profession. Even self employment is possible. These visa differ in terms of the following requirements:
Requirements and conditions vary depending on the visa subclass. For each of the subclasses, a specific Skilled Occupations List is defined. For State-Sponsored visas, there may be additional criteria and requirements.
Permanent residency visas have one thing in common: They enable the visa holder to stay in Australia indefinitely and have a 5-year travel facility attached. In order to be allowed to enter Australia after international travel, visa holders have to apply for a Resident Return visa after this 5 year period.
This visa is available for individuals with specific qualifications and experience. The Australian Government analyses the future demand for skilled workers and publishes the relevant occupations on the Skilled Occupations Lists.
A skills assessment is required prior to application for this visa. An assessing authority assesses whether the individual’s qualifications are applicable and relevant to the occupation in question.
For this particular visa subclass, eligible skilled workers are in demand Australia-wide. As such, the Australian Government grants applicants permanent residency status immediately without certain residency and workplace requirements. This visa comes with a maximum of flexibility and freedom.
Family members (spouse or de facto partner and children) can be included in the visa application as secondary applicants. They are granted the same visa status.
The most important visa requirements at a glance:
Visa validity and essential visa conditions:
The Australia state and territory Governments have the ability to set and manage the need for skilled workers themselves. They analyse their demand individually and publish their own Skilled Occupations Lists containing the occupations required in their specific areas. If the applicant is qualified for one of the listed occupations, they have a good chance of being nominated by a state or territory government.
A skills assessment is required prior to application for this visa. An assessing authority assesses whether a person’s qualifications are applicable and relevant to the occupation in question.
The Australian Government grants applicants permanent residency status immediately, but does require the applicant to demonstrate a commitment to settle in the sponsoring state or territory.
Family members (spouse or de facto partner and children) can be included in the visa application as secondary applicants. They are granted the same visa status.
The most important visa requirements at a glance:
Visa validity and essential visa conditions:
This temporary visa option is available for individuals who agree to settle and work outside the three major metropolitan areas of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane for a given time. The purpose of this visa subclass is to strengthen regions with low levels of population growth in Australia’s more regional areas and to encourage applicants and their families to settle in these areas.
There are two different pathways for this visa subclass. One option is through sponsorship by an Australian state or territory government. The second possibility is to be sponsored by a relative settled in Australia.
The available occupations for this visa subclass are listed on a specific Skilled Occupations List.
A skills assessment is required prior to application for this visa. An assessing authority assesses whether a person’s qualifications are applicable and relevant to the occupation in question.
Family members (spouse/de facto partner and children) can be included in the visa application as secondary applicants. They are granted the same visa status.
The most important visa requirements at a glance:
Visa validity and essential visa conditions:
If the applicant meets the required conditions, there is the option to apply for permanent residency after three years via a Skilled Regional visa (subclass 191) is possible.
If you have already been able to find an Australian employer willing to support your application for an Australian visa, this opens up further visa options through employer sponsorship. Each visa class, however, is subject to different conditions with regard to the activity or the place of residence.
Temporary and permanent visas are possible through this pathway. Basic requirement is having an occupation listed on the respective Skilled Occupation list, but no points test applies for these visa subclasses.
If an employer is unable to find a suitably skilled worker for a certain position outside the three major metropolitan areas of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, this visa enables them to fill these shortages. The relevant occupations are published on specific Skilled Occupations Lists. Employees receive a temporary residence permit with a five-year validity as a first step, but have access to a permanent residency visa after three years.
A skills assessment is required prior to application for this visa. An assessing authority assesses whether the individual’s qualifications are applicable and relevant to the occupation in question.
Family members (spouse/de facto partner and children) can be included in the visa application as secondary applicants. They are granted the same visa status.
The most important visa requirements at a glance:
Visa validity and essential visa conditions:
If an individual does not meet the requirements for one of the permanent visas right from the start, or they plan to stay in Australia only on a short-term basis, there may be other options available.
The main criteria for these visa subclasses (with the exception of the Working Holiday visa) are a specific employment background or qualification. Every subclass carries its own requirements regarding place of residency and place of employment. Furthermore, visa holders are often bound to a certain employer and position. Careful consideration is necessary, therefore, when deciding which visa to opt for.
The Working Holiday visa is an uncomplicated, straightforward visa option for young people aged between 18 and 30 from eligible countries for this visa subclass.
This visa is not available to everyone, however; it depends on the nationality of the applicant. Only citizens of countries with a bilateral agreement with Australia are eligible for this visa. Among these are, for example, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Canada.
This visa is not only suitable for backpackers but also provides an opportunity for the holder to gain experience within the Australian workforce and make initial contact with employers. There are no restrictions as to the types of jobs Working Holiday visa holders can apply for, as long as they are not working for more than six months for the same employer. All manner of work is permitted and possible, from informal, occasional jobs to office work of all kinds.
The most important visa requirements at a glance:
Visa validity and essential visa conditions:
Generally speaking, a Working Holiday visa can only be applied for once in a person’s lifetime and is valid for a maximum of 12 months. Under certain circumstances, however, it is possible to extend the stay for another year and apply for a second Working Holiday visa. The applicant has to provide evidence that he or she has spent at least three months in regional Australia doing specified work within the agricultural, fishery, mining or construction industries.
More information is available on our page Working Holiday Visa.
You can apply for the Working Holiday visa via our online application form.
This temporary visa is available for applicants intending to participate in workplace-based training for registration purposes or for membership in occupational organisations. The specific occupations are published on the relevant list.
For this visa subclass, sponsorship by the institution providing the training is required.
The most important visa requirements at a glance:
Visa validity and essential visa conditions:
Various options and requirements exist for this visa, depending on the institution, association, etc. These can vary significantly. This has to be assessed individually.
This temporary visa is available for applicants planning to do short-term, highly specialised work in Australia. There are different pathways to obtaining this visa.
This visa is available for applicants planning to participate in a conference, meeting or trade show. It is also an option for highly specialised workers with explicit knowledge and skills required for specific projects or installation tasks.
The most important visa requirements at a glance:
Visa validity and essential visa conditions:
Due to the fact that certain activities are not permitted within the realms of the visas covered above, or in the event that processing periods are too long for the applicant’s needs, the Australian Government also offers a variety of special-category visas. The requirements for these visas vary significantly, and applications are addressed on a case-specific basis.
Examples: For an artist or a film/movie production employee needing to travel to Australia, the Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408) is the most likely visa option; a member of a foreign country government can apply for a Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403).
These special categories vary significantly in terms of requirements and validity. We will help you to find the correct visa option. Contact us.
